Poinsettia plant named ‘Rinean’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Rinean’, characterized by its relatively compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely and upright to somewhat outwardly branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early flowering habit; inflorescences with strong red-colored flower bracts; and good post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RINEAN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Rinean’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and early-flowering Poinsettia plants having medium-sized flower bracts, high temperature tolerance and excellent post-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in the autumn of 2013 of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘NPCW10158’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,580, as the female, or seed, parent, with Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Dueencore’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,064, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. in November, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. since the spring of 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Rinean’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Rinean’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely and upright to somewhat outwardly branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Early flowering habit; when grown under natural flowering         season conditions plants flower on or about November 28 in         Southern California.     -   6. Inflorescences with strong red-colored flower bracts.     -   7. Good post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘NPCW10158’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia have thicker lateral branches         than plants of ‘NPCW10158’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Poinsettia are longer and broader         than leaves of plants of ‘NPCW10158’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flower earlier plants of         ‘NPCW10158’.     -   4. Flower bracts of plants of the new Poinsettia are longer and         broader than flower bracts of plants of ‘NPCW10158’.     -   5. Inflorescences of plants of the new Poinsettia have more         flower bracts and cyathia than inflorescences of plants of         ‘NPCW10158’.     -   6. Flower bracts of plants of the new Poinsettia are strong red         in color whereas flower bracts of plants of ‘NPCW10158’ are         brighter red in color.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Dueencore’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more compact than and tend         not to stretch as much as plants of ‘Dueencore’.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more broadly “V-shaped” than         and not as upright as plants of ‘Dueencore’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia have smaller flower bracts than         plants of ‘Dueencore’.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Poinsettia have more         cyathia than inflorescences of plants of ‘Dueencore’.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Eckanezka’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,192. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of ‘Eckanezka’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more compact and have         shorter internodes than plants of ‘Eckanezka’.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Eckanezka’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia have smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Eckanezka’.     -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia have smaller flower bracts than         plants of ‘Eckanezka’.     -   5. Plants of the new Poinsettia have strong red-colored flower         bracts whereas plants of ‘Eckanezka’ have darker red-colored         flower bracts.     -   6. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more tolerant to warm night         conditions than plants of ‘Eckanezka’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Rinean’ grown in a 15.25-cm container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Rinean’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following detailed description were grown during the spring and summer in 15.25-cm in a polyethylene-covered greenhouses in Bonsall and Encinitas, Calif. under artificial long nyctoperiod conditions and cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 26° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time two weeks after planting and were 18 weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Rinean’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.             ‘NPCW10158’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,580.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.             ‘Dueencore’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,064. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days to develop             root callus and about 15 days for root initiation at night             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at night temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, uniform, upright             and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle; medium-sized             inflorescences with numerous flower bracts positioned above             the foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit and             moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 44 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely             branching habit, about seven lateral branches develop after             pinching; upright to somewhat outwardly branching habit.             Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Internode length:             About 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45° to 55° from             vertical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 10.2 cm. Width: About 8.6 cm. Shape: Ovate, three to             five-lobed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Mostly             entire with irregular shallow lobes. Aspect: Outwardly to             slightly drooping with development. Texture and luster,             upper surface: Sparsely pubescent; matte. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent; prominent             venation; matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves,             upper surface: Darker than 147A; venation, close to 146A.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147A;             venation, close to 148A. Leaf petioles: Length: About             4.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color,             upper surface: Close to 183A. Color, lower surface: Close to             178B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Terminal inflorescences are             compound corymbs of cyathia with numerous colored flower             bracts subtending the cyathia; inflorescences uniformly             positioned above the foliar plane.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             typically flower on or about November 28 in Southern             California; under artificial long nyctoperiod/short             photoperiod conditions, plants flower about 8.5 weeks later.         -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;             plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and             flower bract color for about two months under interior             conditions; flower bracts persistent and cyathia not             persistent.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 32 cm.         -   Inflorescence height (depth).—About 8.5 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: Numerous,             about 25. Length, largest bracts: About 12.4 cm. Width,             largest bracts: About 8.5 cm. Shape: Elliptical to ovate,             three to five-lobed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Mostly entire with irregular shallow lobes. Aspect:             Mostly horizontal to slightly drooping with development.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Glabrous with prominent             venation; matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color:             Transitional bracts, upper surface: Close to 187A, 53A and             185A to 185B. Transitional bracts, lower surface: Close to             146B overlain with close to 185B. Developing bracts, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 46A. Fully expanded bracts,             upper surface: Close to 46A; color does not fade with             development. Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to             46B; color does not fade with development. Bract petioles:             Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color, upper surface: Close to 53A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 53B.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 18. Length: About             1.6 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, inner surface: Close to             146D. Color, outer surface: Close to 145A.         -   Nectaries.—Quantity per cyathium: One. Length: About 4 mm.             Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Roughly elliptical. Texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, developing, inner             and outer surfaces: Close to 9A. Color, fully developed,             inner surface: Close to 23B. Color, fully developed, outer             surface: Close to 23A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to outwardly.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to             145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About             five. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to             46B. Anther shape: Round to oval; bi-lobed. Anther length:             About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 53A. Amount of pollen:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 13C. Pistils: Quantity per             cyathium: One; tri-parted. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma             shape: Lanceolate, six-parted, recurved. Stigma color: Close             to 187B. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to             183C. Ovary color: Close to 144B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Poinsettia     have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Poinsettia plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to about     32° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘Rinean’ as illustrated and described. 